Town to reduce garbage rates

Action by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and the Powell Town Council has resulted in lower garbage rates for two years for Basin residents.

Mayor Amy Kania said the DEQ approved allowing Powell to bring trash to the landfill near Cowley and with that agreement the Powell Town Council accepted a bid made by the Big Horn County Solid Waste Board; rates from the landfill were immediately reduced.

Kania said she looked at the budget with the landfill rate reduction and is recommending lowering rates over the rest of this fiscal year and the next fiscal year. She said Powell has already broken ground on a transfer station so won’t be bringing trash to Big Horn County permanently.

Rates for one collection per week would decrease from $31.80 to $27.

The ordinance to change the rates was approved on first reading Tuesday night. Second reading is scheduled for the regular meeting next Tuesday, Feb. 12 and third reading on Friday, Feb. 15. Kania said the quick timeline is so the reduced rate could go into effect with the February billing.

In other business:

The Basin Town Council discussed ways to encourage residents to apply for the residential relending program.

The town has $100,000 to loan to residents for energy efficient projects. The low-interest rate is 3 percent with a maximum of $10,000.

•The council discuss options to extend purified water to the Cranes who have requested to be added to the town system.

•Town Clerk Danielle Chapman said they changed hours and the town hall is now open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.